THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER: REDOC'S PERSPECTIVE ON PERSONAL HEALING AND FORGIVENESS IN THE 'NAPALM GIRL' PHOTOGRAPH

Abstract

The photograph of Kim Phúc, the “Napalm Girl,” is one of the most iconic images of the Vietnam War. It has been the subject of numerous accolades, tributes, and controversies, and has been analyzed by scholars from a variety of perspectives. However, the ethical entailments of the photograph have not yet been fully explored. This paper revisits the photograph 50 years after it was taken, in order to consider the ethical issues raised by its representation of a child’s embodied vulnerability.